Azerbaijan's newly-adopted bill to eliminate flaws in media sphere
By Vugar Khalilov/Ayya Lmahamad
The Azerbaijani parliament has adopted in the first reading a new law "On the media".
The law determines the general rules of the organization of media activities, the legal and economic bases of their activities, as well as the receipt, preparation, transmission, production and dissemination of mass information. The document consists of nine chapters and 78 clauses.
In Azerbaijan, the media bill was adopted 20 years ago. Certain changes were made, but some points remained open. The new bill is expected to play an important role in eliminating a number of shortcomings that exist today in the media sphere. It provides for all the details, from raising the level of professionalism of journalists to solving their social problems.
The new media law paves the way for the creation of a regulatory framework that meets the latest global standards. The law is an important step in ensuring the activities of journalists and stipulates that illegal interference in the professional activities of media representatives and any form of pressure on them is unacceptable.
The law also puts an end to problems with online media. Although online media have been operating in Azerbaijan for many years, their legal status is recognized for the first time by this law.
The draft law will also determine the requirements for information published and disseminated in the media, which will be important for increasing the professionalism and social responsibility of journalists.
Additionally, one of the important points of the draft law concerns the protection of copyrights of information producers and broadcasters.
Experts believe that the new law will play an important role in regulating not only print media but also electronic media, as well as Internet television in Azerbaijan. It will guide and determine the principles of the Azerbaijani media.
In an interview with the local media, expert Mushfig Alasgarli said that the bill is rich in innovations that have not been implemented in Azerbaijan so far.
"First of all, the project is important in terms of recognizing the legal status of online media and creating an idea of its structure. Online media has been established and developed in Azerbaijan for almost 20 years and today has a very large share in the media space of our country. But its legal regulation was incomplete. Such imperfections and problems created problems both for those working in the online media and for society. Adoption of the new law will close this gap," he stressed.
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